Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of the study groups
| Clinical characteristics | BCV (n = 21) | ECC (n = 58) | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sex (female) | 8 (38.1) | 19 (32.7) | 0.659 |
| Gestational age (weeks) | 27 (26 + 1–27 + 1) | 27 + 6 (26 + 6–29 + 4) | 0.002 |
| Birth weight (grams) | 980 (815–1090) | 990 (786–1172) | 0.731 |
| Cesarean delivery | 15 (71.4) | 38 (65.5) | 0.621 |
| Twin pregnancy | 3 (14.3) | 14 (24.1) | 0.341 |
| Maternal chorioamnionitis | 4 (19) | 7 (12.1) | 0.429 |
| Antenatal steroids | 18 (81.8) | 55 (94.5) | 0.177 |
| Apgar 5 min | 8 (6–8) | 8 (7–9) | 0.021 |
| CRIB score 12 h | 4 (2.5–6) | 2.5 (1–6) | 0.392 |
| Perinatal risk factors of infection | 15 (71.4) | 45 (77.6) | 0.484 |
| RDS (surfactant replacement) | 15 (71.4) | 29 (50) | 0.090 |
| Invasive mechanical ventilation (days) | 6 (3.5–10) | 6 (3.5–10) | 0.015 |
| Inotropics/vasopressors | 18 (85.7) | 33 (56.8) | 0.027 |
| Blood transfusion | 18 (85.7) | 35 (60.3) | 0.034 |
| Retinopathy | 3 (14%) | 5 (8.6) | 0.476 |
| Grade III/IV IVH | 2 (9.5) | 6 (10.3) | 0.915 |
| Hemodynamically significant PDA | 14 (66.6) | 26 (44.8) | 0.086 |
| PDA surgery | 5 (23.8) | 0 (0) | 0.005 |
| Necrotizing enterocolitis | 7 (33%) | 7 (12.1) | 0.029 |
| Bronchopulmonary dysplasia* | 12 (57.1) | 29 (50) | 0.575 |
| Death | 2 (9.5) | 5 (8.6) | 0.767 |
| Cause of death: | |||
| -Adequacy of life support | 1 | 3 | |
| -Septic shock/NEC | 0 | 2 | – |
| -Respiratory failure | 1 | 0 | |
Abbreviations: CRIB clinical risk index for babies; IVH intraventricular hemorrhage; NEC necrotizing enterocolitis; PDA patent ductus arteriosus; RDS respiratory distress syndrome. *Refers to oxygen and/or ventilator dependency at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age (moderate-severe BPD)